Resumo

CASTRO CARDENAS, Karyna et al. Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of infectious keratitis in patients operated on by optic penetrating keratoplasty. Rev Cubana Oftalmol [online]. 2013, vol.26, n.3, pp. 379-389. ISSN 0864-2176.

Objective: To describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of infectious keratitis in optic penetrating keratoplasty. Methods: Prospective, longitudinal, descriptive and observational research of a sample of 31 patients diagnosed with infectious ketatitis in their corneal graft, after undergoing optic penetrating keratoplasty. They had been attended to in the Corneal Service of "Ramon Pando Ferrer" Cuban Institute of Ophthalmology from March to November 2010. The studied variables were age, sex, time lapse from the penetrating keratoplasty to the starting of infection, predisposing factors associated to infectious keratitis, clinical manifestations, complications and final condition of the graft. Results: Males (61.3%) and 30-44 y age group (45.2%) were predominant. The majority of cases presented with late infection, being the use of topical steroids the main predisposing factor. The most frequent symptom was secretion (77.4%) and the most significant sign was corneal edema (74.1%). Peripheral location of infiltrates (51.6%) predominated, with size of 1-3 mm (48.4%) and depth up to the anterior third (58.1%). The most common complication was secondary ocular hypertension (50%). The graft kept transparency just in 12.9% of patients. Conclusions: Microbial keratitis after corneal transplantation is a threatening complication for the vision and may lead to loss of transparency due to formation of corneal scar. It is necessary to keep control over the predisposing factors to reduce the frequency of this complication.

Palavras-chave : infectious keratitis; penetrating keratoplasty.

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